One-Skillet Pork Chops with Apples + 60 Days of Dinner!

It seems the only thing I can get together to post on the blog these days are recipes, but that's just where we are right now. The kids are busy with school and all manner of extracurricular activities. I am busy schlepping them to all of that and a have fair amount of freelance work myself too. But everyone needs to eat, so recipes to share I have. Everyone in our house loves pork chops and this is such a fast but super flavorful meal for weeknights. I often toss some potatoes in a hot oven to roast while I make a salad or veg to have with these chops. Easy peasy.

The first 30 days is Whole30 compliant (we did it!) and the second 30 days are not Whole30, but still super clean. Also, I just got an Instant Pot. I really resisted it given that I already have a slow cooker and am trying to Marie Kondo our house. But, so far, pretty happy with it!

One-Skillet Pork Chops with Apples 

(slightly adapted from Paleo Running Momma)

Ingredients:
- 4-5 bone-in pork chops
- sea salt and black pepper to sprinkle on chops
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp ghee divided in half
- 1 large crisp-sweet apple, cored and sliced to 1/4" thickness
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- 2 tsp spicy brown mustard
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, minced

Directions:
1. Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper, onion powder, and cinnamon, rubbing spices in to coat.

2. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat and add 1 1/2 tbsp ghee.

3. Add pork chops to hot skillet and brown on each side 3 minutes (they won't be fully cooked yet). Then remove to a plate and set aside.

4. Lower heat to medium and add remaning ghee to melt. Add apples and onions to skillet and cook, stir occasionally, about 2 minutes, until beginning to soften.

5. Sprinkle apples lightly with sea salt and pepper, then add broth and mustard, plus fresh herbs, stir to combine, scraping up any bits that stuck to your skillet.

6. Return pork chops to skillet, making room for them by pushing apples and onions aside/around them. Continue to simmer over medium heat until pork chops are cooked through -- about 2 minutes or so, depending on how thick they were to start. Serve chops topped with sauce and apples + onions.

*          *          *

Day 1 (T) -- Chicken Pesto Stuffed Sweet Potatoes; green beans
Day 2 (W) -- Beef Ragu (skip the gnocchi for Whole30); Whole30 Mashed Potatoes; salad
Day 3 (Th) -- Easy Apple Cider Pork Chops; roasted cauliflower; roasted sweet potatoes
Day 4 (F) -- Stifatho (skip cheese); cauliflower rice; salad
Day 5 (Sat) -- Crockpot Italian Pork Roast; Whole30 Mashed Potatoes; salad
Day 6 (Sun) -- Loaded Sweet Potato Fries; Grilled Lemon Garlic Chicken; roasted cauliflower

Day 7 (M) -- Whole30 Chili (I used ground beef and pork sausage); salad
Day 8 (T) -- Tender Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots
Day 9 (W) -- Brinner: pesto egg scramble; sausage; fries; roasted tomatoes
Day 10 (Th) -- grilled filet mignon; baked potato; roasted broccoli
Day 11 (F) -- Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Barbacoa
Day 12 (Sat) -- leftovers
Day 13 (Sun) -- leftovers

Day 14 (M) -- Beef Enchilada Bake with Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce
Day 15 (T) -- Chicken Tinga Tacos on salad
Day 16 (W) -- All American Chili (no beans, used extra ground beef); brussels sprouts
Day 17 (Th) -- Grilled Balsamic Marinated Chicken; sweet potato fries; green beans
Day 18 (F) -- leftovers
Day 19 (Sat) -- had "taco bar" for dinner party -- Carne Asada; Chicken Tinga; a platter of Whole30-compliant salad fixings
Day 20 (Sun) -- Spicy Beef and Lamb Kofta; zucchini noodles

Day 21 (M) -- dinner out
Day 22 (T) -- leftovers
Day 23 (W) -- dinner out
Day 24 (Th) -- Slow Cooker Greek Beef Stew with Gremolata
Day 25 (F) -- Balsamic Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Apples 
Day 26 (Sat) -- grilled filet mignon; roasted potatoes; salad
Day 27 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 28 (M) -- leftovers
Day 29 (T) -- Slow Cooker Piri-Piri Chicken; roasted green beans
Day 30 (W) -- Crock Pot Turkey Bolognese over Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi
Day 31 (Th) -- Nurturing Paleo Chicken Soup
Day 32 (F) -- Carne Asada; roasted broccoli; sweet potato fries
Day 33 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 34 (Sun) -- SUPERBOWL! Paleo Bacon Garlic Avocado Burger; baked french fries

Day 35 (M) -- Nurturing Paleo Chicken Soup
Day 36 (T) -- leftover Bolognese with cauliflower gnocchi; salad
Day 37 (W) -- Instant Pot Italian Beef; cauliflower rice; roasted broccoli
Day 38 (Th) -- Chicken Pesto Stuffed Sweet Potatoes; roasted cauliflower
Day 39 (F) -- grilled Filet Mignon; baked potatoes; sautéed green beans
Day 40 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 41 (Sun) -- leftovers

Day 42 (M) -- Slow Cooker BBQ Brisket; baked potatoes; sautéed green beans
Day 43 (T) -- Sheet Pan Orange Glazed Salmon and Broccolini 
Day 44 (W) -- One-Skillet Pork Chops with Apples; roasted sweet potatoes; salad
Day 45 (Th) -- leftover brisket; salad
Day 46 (F) -- Beef Tacos; rice; roasted carrots
Day 47 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 48 (Sun) -- Grilled Balsamic Marinated Chicken; roasted sweet potatoes; roasted broccoli

Day 49 (M) -- Taco Dinner with Friends! Slow Cooker Carnitas; Flank Steak Tacos; Mexican Crema; rice; Fruit Plate with Chili Lime Salt; Skinny Margaritas
Day 50 (T) -- leftovers
Day 51 (W) -- grilled Filet Mignon; roasted potatoes; salad
Day 52 (Th) -- All American Chili
Day 53 (F) -- Chicken Shawarma Naan Salad with Sweet Potato Fries 
Day 54 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 55 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 56 (M) -- Slow Cooker Brisket and Onions (although I prefer to follow the oven cooking directions); gnocchi; green beans
Day 57 (T) -- One Pan Garlic Lovers' Shrimp and Veggies; rice 
Day 58 (W) -- Instant Pot Salmon with Garlic Potatoes and Greens 
Day 59 (Th) -- One-Skillet Pork Chops with Apples; roasted carrots; polenta
Day 60 (F) -- grilled Filet Mignon; Instant Pot Baked Potatoes; salad

Paleo BBQ Chicken Casserole + 45 Days of Dinner!!

DC has been a hot mess of a pressure cooker over the last several months. In addition to the general grumpiness of summer ending, it rained for what felt like eternity, and the simmering rage of most women surrounding the Supreme Court nomination insanity came to a full boil. I have been relentlessly pissed off and sad.

All of that is a lead in to a recipe post to say that our eating has been all over the place. I know that eating super clean, getting 8 hours of sleep a night, and sticking to a strict work out schedule would make me so much more capable to cope with the pile of s*it raining down right now. Instead I've been snacking on sourdough bread, drinking lots of wine, topping it off with a sweet treat, and then repeatedly cursing myself for it all as I exercise the following day (at least I've been consistently exercising -- I need to channel that rage somewhere!).

In an effort to try and make at least dinner easier, I've been making more casseroles and one-pan meals than usual -- not always Paleo, but still healthy. Most of our evenings have been jam-packed with homework and extracurricular activities, so dinners like this BBQ Chicken Casserole have been my go-to to keep everyone fed and happy. It's sort of like a BBQ chicken pizza in a dish and it is super kid-friendly while also still healthy.

I'm hoping to do a Whole30'ish stint between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Until then, I'm just trying to keep it together, people.

Paleo BBQ Chicken Casserole 

(slightly adapted from Jay's Baking Me Crazy) 

Ingredients:
- 1 large spaghetti squash, cooked + shredded
- 1 lb bacon, divided (sugar free)
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups Paleo BBQ sauce
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 large eggs
- cilantro and avocado for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400° and spray a 13 X 9 baking dish with olive oil.
2. Placed cooked spaghetti squash in a large bowl and pat dry with paper towel.
3. Cut bacon into thin strips and place in a large skillet.
4. Cook on medium/high until crispy. Remove half of bacon onto a plate and add onion and chicken to remaining bacon. Cook until onion is tender and chicken is cooked through.
5. Add chicken mixture to the spaghetti squash and then add the barbecue sauce -- start with 1 1/2 cups and add more if needed. Add the pepper, salt to taste, and garlic powder. Stir until everything is mixed well.
6. Add the eggs and stir completely.
7. Place mixture into prepared pan, top with remaining bacon and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes, garnish with cilantro and avocado.

*          *          *

Day 1 (Sun) -- Beef Enchilada Bake with Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce

Day 2 (M) -- brinner 

Day 3 (T) -- Greek Lamb Kabobs; green beans

Day 4 (W) -- Greek Lemon Chicken Kebabs; salad; sweet potato fries 

Day 5 (Th) -- grilled salmon packets with fresh dill; oven potatoes; carrot + zucchini "noodles"

Day 6 (F) -- Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef; cauliflower rice; salad 

Day 7 (Sat) -- grilled strip steak; oven baked fries; sautéed green beans 

Day 8 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 9 (M) -- Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos with Chipotle Lime Crema
Day 10 (T) -- brinner
Day 11 (W) -- Moroccan Meatballs; cauliflower gnocchi; roasted broccoli
Day 12 (Th) -- Healing Paleo Chicken Soup
Day 13 (F) -- Braised Pork Chops over Cauliflower Cream; sautéed grean beans + tomatoes
Day 14 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 15 (Sun) -- Paleo Taco Skillet (I used ground turkey breast)

Day 16 (M) -- All American Chili; salad
Day 17 (T) -- leftovers
Day 18 (W) -- brinner
Day 19 (Th) -- Chicken Tinga Tacos; green beans
Day 20 (F) -- Grilled Flank Steak with Rosemary; salad; sweet potato fries
Day 21 (Sat) -- brinner: Skillet Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Bacon + Honey Balsamic Glaze; egg and smoked salmon scramble; fruit salad; breakfast potatoes
Day 22 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 23 (M) -- BTS meal: Filet Mignon Oscar Style; old bay french fries; asparagus
Day 24 (T) -- leftovers
Day 25 (W) -- leftovers
Day 26 (Th) -- Grilled Chicken with Spice Rub; sweet potato fries; broccoli
Day 27 (F) -- Trader Joe's Carnitas; carrot + zucchini "noodles"
Day 28 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 29 (Sun) -- Spicy Honey Salmon in Foil; sweet potato fries; sautéed kale

Day 30 (M) -- Beef + Broccoli Stir Fry; cauliflower rice
Day 31 (T) -- brinner
Day 32 (W) -- Simple Cod Piccata; baked potato; roasted carrots
Day 33 (Th) -- dinner out
Day 34 (F) -- Paleo Taco Skillet; sweet potato fries
Day 35 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 36 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 37 (M) -- Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef; sweet potato fries; green beans
Day 38 (T) -- brinner
Day 39 (W) -- leftovers
Day 40 (Th) -- Healthy Baked Pesto Rigatoni; kale caesar salad
Day 41 (F) -- dinner out
Day 42 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 43 (Sun) -- Healing Paleo Chicken Soup; salad

Day 44 (M) -- honey dijon grilled salmon, mashed potatoes; roasted green beans
Day 45 (T) -- Joel's requested birthday dinner: Oven Baked Chicken Parm; cauliflower gnocchi; salad; FROZEN PEANUT BUTTER CUP PIE (GAAAAHHH, so good).

Slow Cooker Barbacoa + 30 Days of Dinner!!

I've made a lot of different versions of slow cooker taco proteins, but lately I've been making this Barbacoa almost once a week. It's SO flavorful and the entire family loves it. And you can make it far ahead of time in an old school crock pot and it comes out delicious. It's perfect for anyone doing a Whole30 and we're smack in the middle of another round, so ....

Slow Cooker Barbacoa 

(slightly adapted from Gimme Some Oven's Instant Pot recipe)

Ingredients
- 2/3 cup beer, water, or beef broth (for Whole30, make sure you're using water or compliant broth)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2-4 chipotles in adobo sauce (depending on level of spice desired)
- 1 small white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1, 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 lb beef chuck roast, fat trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 3 bay leaves

Directions 
1. Combine ingredients from broth through cloves into a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth.

2. Heat oil in a cast iron pan and sear pieces of chuck roast in batches, until beef is seared on all sides.

3. Add beef, pureed sauce, and bay leaves to slow cooker. Cook on slow for 8 hours. You can make this work on high for 4-6 hours, but it won't be as tender. When finished cooking, shred with two forks.

I like to serve this over cauliflower rice or Siete grain-free tortillas and with Whole30-compliant toppings. My kiddos like them in flour tortillas.

*               *               *

Day 1 (W) -- Spicy Honey Salmon in Foil, oven-baked french fries, salad
Day 2 (Th) -- Burgers, green beans, sweet potato fries
Day 3 (F) -- dinner out
Day 4 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 5 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 6 (M) -- Seared Scallops with Caper Salsa Verde, salad
Day 7 (T) -- Grilled Chicken Tacos, sweet potato fries
Day 8 (W) -- Whole30 Grilled Lamb Loin Chops + Fingerling Potatoes with Arugula Pesto, sautéed greens beans and tomatoes
Day 9 (Th) -- Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa, cauliflower rice
Day 10 (F) --  Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri, fries, salad
Day 1 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 11 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 12 (M) -- Moroccan Meatballs, green beans
Day 13 (T) -- Grilled Honey Lime Cilantro Chicken, salad, smashed garlic and herb potatoes
Day 14 (W) -- Sheet Pan Sausage with Veggies
Day 15 (Th) -- Honey Dijon Grilled Salmon, sweet potatoes fries, roasted cauliflower + broccoli
Day 16 (F) -- dinner out
Day 17 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 18 (Sun) -- Grilled Tuscan Chicken, sautéed green beans, TJ's cauliflower gnocchi

Day 19 (M) -- Brinner: crab + egg scrambles, sausage, oven fries, salad
Day 20 (T) -- dinner out
Day 21 (W) -- Chicken Pesto Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, green beans
Day 22 (Th) -- leftovers
Day 23 (F) -- Slow Cooker Barbacoa, cauliflower rice
Day 24 (Sat) -- Balsamic-Marinated Grilled Chicken (basically followed this but left strawberries out), salad
Day 25 (Sun) -- Seared scallops, roasted cauliflower + broccoli

Day 26 (M) -- Cilantro Lime Flank Steak, green beans with red onions and golden beets
Day 27 (T) -- Slow Cooker Barbacoa, cauliflower rice, salad
Day 28 (W) -- Grilled Salmon with Chimichurri Sauce, roasted vegetables
Day 29 (Th) -- Brinner: sweet potato fries, poached eggs, sausage, salad
Day 30 (F) -- One-Skillet Porch Chops with Apples, baked potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts

Moroccan Meatballs + 30 Days of Dinner!!

Honestly, I miss the summers before the kids were entrenched in all day camps. I know I dreamed of those longingly when they toddled about the house as I came up with all manner of field trips and art projects. But now I hardly get to see them! We fit things in where we can, but all I've got to really share this month is more of what we've been eating. Because they are definitely EATING. 

We all love these meatballs and I always double the recipe when I make them. In case you've missed my Instagram posts of our new bento boxes (which have garnered more comments than any other posts so I'm seriously considering starting a packed bento box business), I'm making lunches this summer and the ol' turkey sandwich every day trick doesn't work now that they are older. So I make sure to use leftovers when I can. These take a bit of time to mix up, but then basically cook themselves while you can do other things. Try them! 

Moroccan Meatballs

(slightly adapted from Skinnytaste)

Ingredients
Sauce 
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 (14-ounce) cans no salt added diced tomatoes 
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin 
- 1 tsp kosher salt 
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
- 1/2 cup green olives, chopped 

Meatballs 
- 1 lb lean ground beef 
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion 
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
- 1 tsp kosher salt 
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided 
- feta cheese (optional)

Directions
1. In a large dutch onion, sauté chopped onions for sauce with a little olive oil until just starting to brown. 
2. Add remaining sauce ingredients and stir to combine. 
3. In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients—leaving 2 tbsp of cilantro for garnish.
4. Gently form mixture into 20 meatballs (don't overhandle them or they'll be tough!).
5. Place the meatballs on top of the sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 35-40 minutes. 
6. Top with feta cheese and reserved cilantro to serve. 

*          *          *

Day 1 (M) - Grilled Chicken (Whole30 BBQ sauce); sweet potato fries; green beans 
Day 2 (T) - Scallops seared in ghee + olive oil with a spicy mayo sauce (Whole30 compliant hot sauce, paleo mayo, little water); cauliflower rice 
Day 3 - (W) - Paleo Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili 
Day 4 (Th) - dinner out 
Day 5 (F) - grilled burgers and salad in NJ
Day 6 (Sat) - grilled steak and salad in NJ 
Day 7 (Sun) - Juicy Balsamic Grilled Chicken and salad in NJ 

Day 8 (M) - brinner (eggs, potatoes, salad)
Day 9 (T) - Easy Shredded Harissa Chicken over cauliflower rice 
Day 10 (W) - dinner out 
Day 11 (Th) - Paleo Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Shrimp 
Day 12 (F) - Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce; Loaded Potato Skins with Bacon; green beans
Day 13 (Sat) - leftovers 
Day 14 (Sun) - dinner out 

Day 15 (M) - Grilled Salmon Kebabs (but left filet whole and skin on); leftover potatoes; salad
Day 16 (T) - Whole30 Easy Steak Fajitas 
Day 17 (W) - dinner out 
Day 18 (Th) - Moroccan Meatballs over cauliflower rice 
Day 19 (F) - brinner 
Day 20 (Sat) - dinner out 
Day 21 (Sun) - chicken fajitas (made up as I made them)
 
Day 22 (M) - brinner 
Day 23 (T) -  dinner out 
Day 24 (W) - dinner out 
Day 25 (Th) - my birthday dinner! Delmonico steaks with chimchurri; baked potatoes; watermelon, mint + feta salad.
Day 26 (F) - Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas (sans peach salsa); cauliflower rice; salad 
Day 27 (Sat) - dinner out 
Day 28 (Sun) - brinner 

Day 29 (M) - leftovers 
Day 30 (T) - Greek Marinated Flank Steak + Hummus Plate

Easy Steak Fajitas + 60 Days of Dinner!!

I could bore you with all the mundane details of why I haven't had any time to post here in almost three months, but how about I just skip all that and share some of what we've been eating during that time. Plus, meal prepping, cooking, and eating is a lot of what we've done the last three months anyway, so ....

I am smack in the middle of a new round of Whole30, but a lot of what we ate for this 60 Days of Dinner was at least Paleo-compliant. I feel way better when I just eat clean, so I'm really trying to stick with it.

This is definitely the longest stretch of eating clean I've accomplished and the best I've done at getting back to it when I stray for an event or two. There are plenty of nights in here where we dined out too, but I've generally been doing a good job of keeping it clean when we eat out. And easy one pan meals like the fajitas I'm sharing below have really helped me cook dinner at home even on busy nights. They are so quick to whip up and packed with a lot of flavor (even the veggies!).

Whole30 Easy Steak Fajitas
(slightly adapted from The Movement Menu)

Ingredients
Marinade + Steak

- 1 1/2 lbs flank steak
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- zest of 1 lime
- juice of 2 limes
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper, to taste

Veggies

- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 4 bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 4 medium zucchinis, sliced

Directions 

1. In a small bowl, combine all of the marinade ingredients together. Add flank steak to a gallon ziplock bag and then add marinade. Press out any excess air and close the bag. Give the steak a little massage to incorporate the marinade. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

2. Heat a large cast iron skillet on medium-hight heat. Spray skillet lightly with olive oil. Remove steak from bag and discard marinade. Season steak with salt and pepper.

3. Gently place the steak into the pan and let cook for 4 1/2 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 4 1/2 minutes. Remove the steak from a pan and let rest for 10 minutes with foil tented over it.

4. While the steak is resting, cook the vegetables. First, add the broth to the pan. Scrape up brown bits and remove from pan. Spray pan with a little more olive oil. Add vegetables and cook for 8-10 minutes until soft and cooked through.

5. Slice steak against the grain and layer on top of the vegetables. Top with sliced avocado, green onions, and fresh cilantro.

*          *          *

Day 1 (M) - grilled burgers, sweet potato fries, salad
Day 2 (T) - brinner
Day 3 (W) - Grilled Chicken Tacos
Day 4 (Th) - Healing Paleo Chicken Soup -- everyone loved this. I added some noodles to the kids' portions when I served it.
Day 5 (F) - dinner out
Day 6 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 7 (Sun) - leftovers

Day 8 (M) - Mediterranean Chicken and Cauliflower Rice
Day 9 (T) - Pan Seared Scallops, skillet potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts
Day 10 (W) - brinner
Day 11 (Th) - Instant Pot Shredded Chicken (I just used my slow cooker and cooked on slow for 8 hours)
Day 12 (F) - Steak Fajitas with Chimichurri and Cucumber Salsa
Day 13 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 14 (Sun) - Oven Braised Corn Beef and Cabbage, roasted potatoes and carrots, Sautéed Cabbage and Bacon

Day 15 (M) - Tavuk Sis (this was from a cooking class we took, but this recipe is similar), Turkish Shepherd's Salad, cauliflower rice
Day 16 (T) - Shrimp + Roasted Carrot Tostadas (Plated), green beans
Day 17 (W) - brinner
Day 18 (Th) - Instant Pot Carnitas (I made these in my regular slow cooker on slow for 8 hours), cauliflower rice
Day 19 (F) - leftovers
Day 20 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 21 (Sun) - Sheet Pan Cuban Chicken with Citrus Avocado Salsa

Day 22 (M) - Easy Paleo Green Chicken Skillet, Apple + Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Creamy Balsamic 
Day 23 (T) - Smoked Salmon Pizza with Whipped Goat Cheese, Capers, and Tomato (Plated recipe but I used gluten free dough), fruit salad
Day 24 (W) - brinner
Day 25 (Th) - dinner out
Day 26 (F) - Steak Fajitas with Chimichurri and Cucumber Salsa
Day 27 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 28 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 29 (M) - Whole30 In N Out Burgers: Double Double Animal Style (OMG! This were bananas good!), sweet potato fries
Day 30 (T) - Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Salmon, sweet potato fries
Day 31 (W) - brinner
Day 32 (Th) - dinner out
Day 33 (F) - Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles
Day 34 (Sat) - Garlic Lovers Salmon in Foil
Day 35 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 36 (M) - dinner out
Day 37 (T) - All-American Chili (left out beans)
Day 38 (W) - brinner
Day 39 (Th) - Slow Cooked Carnitas with Peach and Tomato Salsa
Day 40 (F) - leftovers
Day 41 (Sat) - Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos with Chipotle Lime Crema
Day 42 (Sun) - Chimichurri Whole30 Meatballs with Swiss Chard

Day 43 (M) - leftovers
Day 44 (T) - brinner
Day 45 (W) - Citrus Broiled Salmon
Day 46 (Th) - All-American Chili (left out beans)
Day 47 (F) - The Best Chicken Tinga Tacos, corn
Day 48 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 49 (Sun) - Grilled Chilean Beef Skewers with Smoky Chimichurri, sweet potato fries, salad

Day 50 (M) - leftovers
Day 51 (T) - Mediterranean Chicken and Cauliflower Rice
Day 52 (W) - Greek Marinated Flank Steak and Hummus Plate
Day 53 (Th) - dinner out
Day 54 (F) - Slow Cooker Crispy Chicken Carnitas
Day 55 (Sat) - dinner out
Day 56 (Sun) - dinner out

Day 57 (M) - Grilled Salmon (I cook this as a whole fillet with the skin on the grill -- let it cook 8-10 minutes with skin side down and don't flip!)
Day 58 (T) - dinner out
Day 59 (W) - Sheet Pan BBQ Pork Chops and Potatoes (Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook), salad
Day 60 (Th) - leftovers
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Greek Chicken and Potatoes (One Pan) + 30 Days of Dinner!!

This set of dinners is basically us getting on and back off the Whole30 train (and like a whole week of eating out after the first night of Passover). I mentioned a few weeks ago that I've been having a hard time sticking with it this go around. So I decided to switch gears a little bit. I love eating Paleo and the Whole30 reset, but lately I just felt like I was vacillating between eating all the things and eating nothing.

If you've ever met anyone in our family, you know moderation isn't really our thing. Even with things that are good for you. We're a kind of all or nothing bunch. And that's one reason I love Whole30 so much -- I don't really have to deal with trying to eat certain things in moderation. I just can't have them. And what I can eat, the portions are not super strict (there are guidelines, but ....) But I'm trying to be an actual adult, so I decided to try eating mostly clean but with more strict portion control. So you'll continue seeing lots of Paleo-friendly recipes around here, but more just all-around healthy eats too. We'll see how it goes!!

My favorite recipe from this 30 days was easily adapted to Whole30, but even more delicious (and still healthy!) with the cheese. It's really bright, flavorful, and super easy for weeknights.

Greek Chicken and Potatoes (One Pan)

(slightly adapted from Cafe Delites) 

Ingredients
Marinade:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 2 tsp salt
- cracked pepper to taste
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Tray Bake:
- 17 1/2 ounces potatoes, diced into 1-inch pieces (about 2 medium potatoes)
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 tbsp pitted Kalamata olives
- 4 tbsp cubed Feta cheese

Directions
1. Combine marinade ingredients together and pour over chicken into a gallon bag. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, up to over night.
2. Preheat oven to 430 F. Spray a baking pan with cooking oil spray. Arrange chicken, potatoes, and onions on the pan. Drizzle the potatoes and onion with a small amount of olive oil and juice from half of the lemon. Season everything with a bit more of salt and pepper to taste. Toss the potatoes and onion in the oil to evenly coat. Slice the remaining lemon half into slices and arrange over the chicken.
3. Bake until the potatoes are golden/crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the chicken is completely cooked through (about 30-35 minutes). Change oven setting to broil and cook another 5 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Add olives and cheese before serving (or leave cheese off for Whole30).

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Day 1 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 2 (M) -- Grilled Chicken Tacos, cauliflower rice, salad 

Day 3 (T) -- Cuban Style Steak and Avocado Rice with Pineapple Chimichurri 

Day 4 (W) -- brinner -- eggs, roasted sweet potatoes, salad 

Day 5 (Th) -- Balsamic Mustard Roast Beef (this was DELICIOUS!), green beans 

Day 6 (F) -- dinner out 

Day 7 (Sat) -- Slow Cooker Chili Chicken Verde 

Day 8 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 9 (M) -- Passover: Slow Cooker Brisket and Onions (I made a huge brisket, so I did half in the slow cooker and half in the oven -- the oven batch was far better), Apple Walnut Charoset, Roasted Sweet Potato Slices with Pesto, Pan Seared Brussels Sprouts
Day 10 (T) -- dinner out
Day 11 (W) -- dinner out
Day 12 (Th) -- brinner
Day 13 (F) -- dinner out
Day 14 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 15 (Sun) -- Greek Chicken and Potatoes (One Pan)

Day 16 (M) -- Crockpot Paleo Chicken
Day 17 (T) -- Apple and Bacon Smothered Pork Chops
Day 18 (W) -- brinner
Day 19 (Th) -- Chicken Fajita Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (a family fave this month)
Day 20 (F) -- One Skillet Mediterranean Chicken 
Day 21 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 22 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 23 (M) -- Slow Cooker Short Rib Chili 
Day 24 (T) -- Grilled Chicken, Burst Tomato, and Artichoke Skewers with Goat Cheese Dip (no dip for Whole30), riced cauliflower
Day 25 (W) -- Carne Asada, Green Beans and Beets with Balsamic Reduction (no cheese for Whole30), Crispy Lemon Oven-Roasted Potatoes
Day 26 (Th) -- leftovers
Day 27 (F) -- dinner out
Day 28 (Sat) -- brinner
Day 29 (Sun) -- dinner out

Day 30 (M) -- One Pot Cheesy Taco Skillet (I used half ground turkey, half ground beef. Leave off the cheese for Whole30)

Easy Honey Dijon Skillet Chicken + 30 Days of Dinner!!

I've been in a real rut with chicken. I try to work it in the menu several times a week, but I feel like I just keep falling back on the same several recipes or get stuck making a more complicated recipe just to get more flavor. But this Easy Honey Dijon Skillet Chicken is super delicious, quick for a weeknight meal, and full of fall flavors. Give it a try if you're looking for a new weeknight headliner!

Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Chicken and Honey Roasted Squash + 30 Days of Dinner!!

I feel like we're slowly putting back together our clean eating habits. It's meant a few more throw together dinners, brinners, and better dining out discipline than normal, but it's been working. My goal is to really keep it as steady as I can through the holidays and then do another Whole30 in the new year. We'll see how it goes! As for this last 30 days, I ended up making a serious number of successful dinners for the family. I didn't cook every night, but it felt like every night I did, they liked better than the night before. Not a bad place to be. The one I decided the share, though, was one of my own favorites. Sometimes I find that I get in a rut with chicken recipes that are clean -- they all kind of end up tasting the same. But this was a new one for me, full of seasonal flavors. And the kids loved it too.

Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Chicken and Honey Roasted Squash

(modified slightly from Half Baked Harvest) 

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sweet Thai chili sauce (if you're Paleo and can't find a prepared version that works, try whipping this up)
- 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/4 cup Tamari (or other gluten free soy sauce)
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled + grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 acorn or kabocha squash, seeded + sliced into half rounds
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- salt + pepper
- aerils from 1 pomegranate

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Make the pomegranate sticky glaze. In a medium bowl, combine the sweet Thai chili sauce, pomegranate juice, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.

Toss the chicken with 1/2 of the pomegranate sticky sauce (reserve the rest for serving) and place on one end of a parchment lined baking sheet. Toss the squash with olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper and place on the other end of the baking sheet.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is tender (mine took more like 35 minutes). Halfway through cooking, rotate the pan and spoon any sauce that has settled on the bottom of the pan over the chicken. Turn on the broiler and crispy up the tops just a bit -- about 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the chicken. Serve the chicken and squash over rice or cauliflower rice drizzled with the remaining reserved pomegranate sticky sauce. Garnish with pomegranate aerils.

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30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (W) -- Omelettes, Perfect Fluffy Crispy Potatoes (I skipped the nutritional yeast), and Grilled Romaine with Bacon and Blue Cheese
Day 2 (Th) -- Slow-Cooked Bolognese over spaghetti squash, green salad
Day 3 (F) -- dinner out
Day 4 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 5 (Sun) -- Lamb Meatballs with Feta, Olives, and Lemon and Cauliflower Tabbouleh 

Day 6 (M) -- leftovers 

Day 7 (T) -- grilled steak fajitas 

Day 8 (W) -- brinner
Day 9 (Th) -- One Pan Pesto Chicken + Veggies, kids also had pasta
Day 10 (F) -- dinner out
Day 11 (Sat) -- dinner out in Chicago
Day 12 (Sun) -- dinner out in Chicago 

Day 13 (M) -- brinner

Day 14 (T) -- Chicken Breast Sautéed in Sweet Red Onion + Lemon (sans sugar), roasted potatoes, salad 

Day 15 (W) -- Massaged Kale Salad with Cherries, Pistachios, and Grilled Steak (cherries are out of season, so I subbed in cherry tomatoes and it was still delish).
Day 16 (Th) -- leftovers
Day 17 (F) -- Slow Cooker Carnitas with regular salsa 

Day 18 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 19 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 20 (M) -- Grilled Chicken, Burst Tomato, and Artichoke Skewers with Goat Cheese Dip (skip dip if you're dairy free) 

Day 21 (T) -- Slow Cooker Cholulua Shredded Beef Tacos -- everyone LOVED these -- hardly any leftovers! 

Day 22 (W) -- Cabernet Braised Short Rib Stew -- another HUGE family fave. Such a good comfort food din. 
Day 23 (Th) -- dinner out 
Day 24 (F) -- Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Chicken + Honey Roasted Squash 
Day 25 (Sat) -- dinner out 

Day 26 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 27 (M) -- Stifatho (Greek Stew)  

Day 28 (T) -- Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Pita with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce 

Day 29 (W) -- brinner
Day 30 (Th) -- Slow Cooker Cholulua Shredded Beef Tacos -- told you everyone loved them. 

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Slow Cooked Carnitas with Peach and Tomato Salsa + 30 Days of Dinner!!

I know that peach season is long gone, but everyone so loved these Slow Cooked Carnitas with Peach + Tomato Salsa, that I'd make them again and again and just leave out the peaches. It was so easy for so much flavor! And I doubled the recipe so we used the leftovers in multiple dishes (brinner, tacos, etc.), which always adds up to a huge win in my book.

Lamb Meatballs with Feta, Olives, and Lemon + 30 Days of Dinner!

I can hardly believe I waited so long to work lamb in to our dinner rotation at home. Everyone was completely gaga over these meatballs from Smitten Kitchen—Cam asks for them at nearly every meal (no matter where we are). They are absolutely delish, so I get it. Next time I'll be making a double batch!

The rest of these 30 Days are also a mix of clean and not-exactly-clean eating. I was about 12 days in to my Whole 30 when the storm from hell hit and required a bunch of work at home. Hence, pizza and beer. Plus since we're on vacation it just seemed silly to try another stint before we're back. So, everything here is still healthy, just not 100% clean. I'm psyched for all we have planned for August, but also looking forward to getting the kids back in school and everyone on a more consistent schedule. Till then!!

Lamb Meatballs with Feta, Olives, and Lemon

(slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 8 tbsp water
- 2 lbs ground lamb
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- zest of half a lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil

Sauce:
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- a few slugs of red wine
- 1 28-ounce can of crushed or pureed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- zest of half a lemon
- 3/4 to 1 tsp table salt
- pinches of red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 1/3 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
- 1 tbsp thinly sliced mint leaves, plus more for garnish
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- juice of one lemon
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta, for garnish

Directions
1. Make meatballs: in a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except oil. Using wet hands, form mixture into small meatballs (1 1/2 - 2-inch diameter).

2. Brown meatballs: heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat it through. Evenly space meatballs in pan and very carefully turn and roll them so that all sides become brown. Don't worry if they don't stay perfectly round or if some pieces stick to the pain. Drain meatballs on a paper towel-lined plate.

3. Make sauce and finish cooking meatballs: pour all but 1 tablespoon fat out from skillet and return to medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add wine and scape up any bits stuck to the pan. Cook until the liquid almost disappears. Add tomatoes, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper flakes, olives, mint, and parsley. Bring mixture to a simmer and return meatballs to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook at the lowest simmer for 20 - 24 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Squeeze lemon juice over meatballs and sauce.

Sprinkle with additional olives, feta, and herbs. We had ours over orzo pasta.

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30 Days of Dinner

Day 1 (W) -- Brinner of omelets, bacon, and our new favorite Breakfast Potatoes.
Day 2 (Th) -- dinner out
Day 3 (F) -- grilled barbecue chicken on strawberry salad.
Day 4 (Sat) -- leftovers/kids pizza 

Day 5 (Sun) -- dinner out 

Day 6 (M) -- Chicken Fajita Cheeseburgers; sweet potato french fries
Day 7 (T) -- Paleo Buffalo Chicken Casserole 
Day 8 (W) -- post storm pizza + beer night
Day 9 (Th) -- grilled flank steak, Breakfast Potatoes, salad
Day 10 (F) -- Lemon Chicken with Red Onion; cauliflower rice
Day 11 (Sat) -- dinner out at a friends -- we brought this Chinatown Sling cocktail and ordered in Chinese food

Day 12 (Sun) -- BBQ at friends -- we brought this deeelish Classic Potato Salad and Pineapple Sangria 

Day 13 (M) -- Nectarine Mustard Glazed Salmon with Grilled Stone Fruit; Easy Lemon Roasted Potatoes; green beans
Day 14 (T) -- Moroccan Pita Sandwiches; leftover potatoes
Day 15 (W) -- leftovers 

Day 16 (Th) -- Lamb Meatballs with Feta, Olives + Lemon; orzo pasta
Day 17 (F) -- dinner out
Day 18 (Sat) -- dinner out 

Day 19 (Sun) -- Paleo Crockpot Chili (STILL a huge fam favorite) 

Day 20 (M) -- Roasted Chicken with Citrus, Dates, and Olives 
Day 21 (T) -- Grilled burgers and Crispy Baked French Fries 
Day 22 (W) -- Brazilian Grilled Steak; Roasted Sweet Potato Slices with Cilantro Pesto 
Day 23 (Th) -- Honey Sriracha Coconut Grilled Chicken Fingers; grilled squash; Coconut Rice 
Day 24 (F) --  brinner 

Day 25 (Sat) -- Brisket Barbacoa Beef; Cilantro Rice; and Corn Salad

Day 26 (Sun) -- BBQ at friends

Day 27 (M) -- Lemon Chicken with Red Onion (also added spinach -- cleaning out fridge before vacaye!); leftover breakfast potatoes; green beans
Day 28 (T) -- brinner 

Day 29 (W) -- dinner out while traveling
Day 30 (Th) -- dinner out tonight in Scotland!! 

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